PrepTest 116, Section 1, Question 15
Reader-response theory, a type of literary theory that(454 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(15 more words not shown)
- Aa translator who(18 more words not shown)
- Ba music critic(20 more words not shown)
- Ca reviewer who(18 more words not shown)
- Da folk artist(15 more words not shown)
- Ea director who(16 more words not shown)
Reading the passage
We need someone bringing a perspective to a work and finding meaning through that encounter. I'm expecting a new interpretation, not just an effort to preserve the original meaning. The example could take several forms.
Working the answers
- A
The translator's stated goal is to avoid distorting the original meaning. That doesn't show the contribution of a new reader's perspective.
- B
Insisting on original instruments concerns historical authenticity. It doesn't illustrate how a person's perspective adds meaning to a work.
- C
This deserves a closer look: the reviewer is interpreting literature. But the aim is to find unifying themes revealing the novelist's concerns. That focus on the author's meaning is closer to the formalist approach than to the reader's contribution we're seeking.
- D
The artist conveys meanings people already share through conventional symbols. This isn't an example of interpreting an existing work from a new perspective.
- ECorrect
The director brings a new cultural and historical setting to Shakespeare expressly to offer a different perspective. I initially wanted someone reading the play and explaining a fresh interpretation, so changing the production can feel less direct. But staging the play this way expresses an interpretation too. Of these choices, E most clearly shows someone contributing a perspective that helps others see the work differently.
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